My husband’s cousin and her husband are in Florida visiting and will be coming for dinner. We have not seen them in ten years. I am making Bolognese Sauce, which might be bold since according to my husband, aka, Mr. Wonderful, I am not really Italian. He is right. My father’s side was Irish, English, German; my mother’s side all Irish on her mother’s side and all Italian on her father’s, at best, I am one-quarter Italian.
However, when my friend Marshal returned from Italy, where evidently all he ate was Rigatoni with Bolognese sauce; and now in withdrawal, I sent over a pot of sauce. He phoned to say, “Claudia, you make the best Bolognese sauce I have ever had, can you teach me?”
The next Sunday, I went to his house with my “Not Really Italian Bolognese Sauce” recipe written down in my head. Like many cooks I rarely follow a recipe exactly and make changes according to what is in the pantry.
Start with what is referenced as the trio; equal amounts of finely chopped onion, celery and carrot sauteed in pan lightly covered with olive oil. The pan needs to be hot enough that you hear or see a piece of onion sizzle. This takes about five minutes. Remove the trio from pan and brown two pounds of chop meat. Remove chop meat from pan, discard any liquid and brown or scorch at least 2 TBSP of tomato paste. You’ll smell the scorching.
Then add the trio back into the pan, de glaze the pan with ¼ cup white or red wine, add the sauce, meat, dried spices and whole garlic and simmer, for several hours. If you like thick sauce leave the pot cover off, for a thinner sauce leave the cover on.
Not Really Italian Tips
- Use jar sauce, low in sugar or two cans of crushed tomatoes and or add chopped fresh tomatoes.
- Add a whole carrot while sauce simmers then remove before serving if not sweet to your taste
- Add whole garlic to sauce when simmering. I don’t chop or brown the garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried Basil and 1 or 2 dried bay leafs, even dried basil will make the sauce bitter if you add too much
- Red or White Wine whatever is open
. . . . Just Saying
claudiajustsaying 
Great post 😁
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After reading this, I’m going out to buy the ingredients and make a pot!!!
😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋
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MR WONDERFUL 😁
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Best get some wine opened and indulge whilst cooking 😁. Enjoy your company and your meal.
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Yes, actually there is a lot more wine in the sauce than the 1/4 cup I mentioned. . . .just saying
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. . . just saying, Many thanks!
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I can attest to the fact that she is not really Italian . But her cooking is absolutely great!
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Smart move Bob—-Claudia, you can come to my house any day — it sounds great!
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That was from me— Lynn —=the smart move Bob comment
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Thank you Mr. Wonderful
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Love the wine flexibility! Great recipe!
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Kathy, LO L, we are sooooooooooooo on the same page . . . . just saying, Claudia
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I think this sounds splendid.
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Sounds delicious!
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My mouth is drewling with the thought of your sauce but you know that already! How lucky is Mr. Wonderful. The pictures of the sauce have given me goose bumps..
Guess who’s coming to dinner!!
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No thank you, it was a great evening, one we hope to repeat. Hugs, Claudia
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No, you’re making the sauce . . . .next time, just saying getting together is always fun
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Great blog. Again seeing you and Bob was wonderful and dinner was delicious. You do make a great Bolognese sauce. Thank you for the receipe I am going to make it this weekend for the family. Love you both and looking forward to seeing you again. 💘
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No, thank you. . . . just saying we made a memory that is the start of many, hugs, Claudia
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